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en-usEngadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronicsCopyright 2018 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/10/indiecade-east-re-enters-new-yorks-museum-of-the-moving-image/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/10/indiecade-east-re-enters-new-yorks-museum-of-the-moving-image/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/10/indiecade-east-re-enters-new-yorks-museum-of-the-moving-image/#comments

IndieCade East will be held at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York, for the second year running, this time from February 14 - 16. IndieCade East includes seminars and panels from high-profile indie developers, academics and journalists, plus seminars, an eSports competition and Night Games East, an outdoors exhibition of physically interactive games.

Keynote speakers this year include QWOP creator Bennett Foddy and Tale of Tales co-founder Aureia Harvey. Both QWOP and Tale of Tales' The Path are part of the Indie Essentials exhibition in the museum through March, which showcases 26 indie games including Gone Home, Braid, Kentucky Route Zero, N., Quadrilateral Cowboy and Spelunky.

The festival's Show & Tell space allows developers with full access passes to show off their games in two-hour slots on February 15 or 16. Sign ups are available here. Among all of the indie devs, IndieCade East will feature booths from Sony with the PlayStation 4 and Vita, plus Oculus Rift and Facebook.

Festival passes are on sale now, $100 through January 31. From February 1, passes will be $125. Individual days run $45 for Friday, $55 for Saturday including access to Night Games East, and $45 for Sunday.
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indieindiecadeindiecade-eastindiecade-east-2014museum-of-the-moving-imagenew-yorkFri, 10 Jan 2014 19:30:00 -050011|20805649https://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/30/new-york-celebrates-a-decade-of-independent-design/https://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/30/new-york-celebrates-a-decade-of-independent-design/https://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/30/new-york-celebrates-a-decade-of-independent-design/#comments

The definition of "Indie Game" has changed over the last decade. The term originally referred to games created by developers and distributed independently, without the aid of a publishing partner. In the old days that meant game makers were responsible for pressing CDs, printing manuals, and pushing product to retailers. Over the last ten years, that process has changed drastically; digital distribution, crowdfunding and social media allow "indie" games to have multi-million dollar budgets and pre-sell to customers who never need to set foot in a store. Indie games have come a long way, but have humble beginnings.

At New York's Museum of The Moving Image, that humble spirit is on display at a new exhibit: Indie Essential – 25 Must-Play Games.
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indieindie-gamesmuseum-of-the-moving-imagenew-yorkMon, 30 Dec 2013 15:00:00 -050011|20794214https://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/19/the-secret-world-issue-5-is-live/https://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/19/the-secret-world-issue-5-is-live/https://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/19/the-secret-world-issue-5-is-live/#comments

With the end of the world hitting the planet on Friday, The Secret World's fifth monthly update could obviously only be enjoyed if it hit servers before then, right? So good news -- Issue #5 is live right now! So you can right hop in and help one of Solomon Island's denizens avoid meeting her end with bad hair and find out what really happened to Tyler Freeborn.

Along with the usual assortment of new missions and investigations, this update adds a third auxiliary weapon (the quantum bracers), allows players to assign inventory items to hotkeys, opens a new nightclub in London, and makes all investigation missions repeatable. Want to see what's in store come Friday when the End of Days special event starts? Get a glimpse of the Harbingers themselves in the Issue #5 preview video after the cut.
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buy-to-playend-of-daysend-of-days-eventsevents (in-game)factionfantasyfree-to-playfuncomgame mechanicsharbingershorrorissue-5mythologynew-weaponnew-yorkpatchpatchesquantum-bracersreal-lifesci-fantasysecret-worldskill-basedsubscriptionlessthe secret worldthe-secret-worldthe-vanishing-of-tyler-freeborntswvideoWed, 19 Dec 2012 11:30:00 -0500319|20407259https://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/nyc-go-play-arcade-games-with-a-bunch-of-game-industry-folks-to/https://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/nyc-go-play-arcade-games-with-a-bunch-of-game-industry-folks-to/https://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/nyc-go-play-arcade-games-with-a-bunch-of-game-industry-folks-to/#comments

You don't really need an excuse to head out to Brooklyn's Barcade, but we've got one for you anyway: the New York Game Critics Circle is throwing a shindig there tomorrow night. Beyond the beautiful smiling faces of the group's membership, expect to meet a variety of folks from the game industry: developers, journos ... maybe even Super Mario himself! (Sorry, we couldn't help it.)

If that excitement isn't enough for you, there's also a ton of arcade games running on quarter plays and a great selection of delicious beer. That said, it probably goes without mention that this is a 21 and up event. There we go, mentioning it anyway.

The New York State attorney general has announced a widespread, sweeping purge of sex offenders from online games, Forbes reports. Working with companies such as Microsoft, Disney, and Blizzard, New York State, which requires sex offenders to register their emails, is using those emails to remove accounts and ban players from services.

Going by the name Operation: Game Over, the effort has already banned more than 3,700 accounts from a variety of online games and web spaces. Eric Schniderman, New York's attorney general, was happy with the cooperation from these big companies and online portals.

As virtual worlds grow and more and more people enter online games, keeping tabs on children and predators is an increasingly worrisome topic. By using the existing sex offenders registry, the state can start with whatever information it already has as it moves to expand the program. Read the full story on Forbes.
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attorney-generaleric-schneidermannew-yorknew-york-statenews itemsoperationoperation-game-oversex-offendersex-offender-regstryThu, 05 Apr 2012 20:00:00 -040099|20209693https://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/new-york-state-removes-sex-offenders-from-xbox-live-more/https://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/new-york-state-removes-sex-offenders-from-xbox-live-more/https://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/new-york-state-removes-sex-offenders-from-xbox-live-more/#comments

New York will be removing the state's registered sex offenders from several online gaming services, NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has announced. As part of "Operation: Game Over," over 3,500 of accounts have been removed from various gaming services run by "Microsoft, Apple, Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Disney, Warner Bros. and Sony."

The purge was done with the consent of each company. Xbox Live is the only service explicitly mentioned in the press release, though each company certainly has recognized services, including PlayStation Network, Origin, Game Center, Battle.net, etc.

The press release notes that New York law requires sex offenders to provide the state with email addresses and screen names, which can then "be made available to certain websites so they can purge potential predators from their online networks." This marks the first time the law has been applied to gaming services. Vice president and deputy general counsel Rich Wallis noted that the company is "supportive of Attorney General Schneiderman's efforts to make the Internet, including online gaming environments like Xbox LIVE, safer for everyone."

This isn't the first time that A.G. Schneiderman has delved into the world of video games. He also subpoenaed Sony regarding the PlayStation Network security breach last year.
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eric-schneidermangamecenteriosipadiphonelawlegalmacmicrosoftmobilenew-yorkpcplaystationplaystation-networkps3psnxboxxbox-liveThu, 05 Apr 2012 16:40:00 -040011|20209685https://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/new-york-videogame-critics-circle-announces-first-annual-awards/https://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/new-york-videogame-critics-circle-announces-first-annual-awards/https://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/13/new-york-videogame-critics-circle-announces-first-annual-awards/#comments

Look, we're gonna be upfront about this, we're a little biased -- okay, I'm a little biased -- toward any news involving the New York Game Critics Circle (I'm the standing member for Joystiq), but we're putting together an awards show and it's gonna be totally boss. On February 2, a gaggle of us are taking over New York University's Cantor Film Center and holding an awards show to honor the best games of 2011 -- what we consider to be 2011's best, anyway.

Founding member (and occasional NPR correspondent) Harold Goldberg is heading up the proceedings with some assistance from various NYGCC members, while an unannounced, well-known voice man is on tap to MC the event. The first annual awards show will take place on February 2 and we've dropped the entire list of nominees after the break. It'll also be open to the public with limited seating, which we'll have more info on in the coming weeks.

Wondering who voted for said nominees? That list is right here, but rest assured that everyone involved is totally your favorite.
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3dsdsharold-goldbergiosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilenew-yorknew-york-citynew-york-game-critics-circlenintendonycnygccpcplaystationps3wiixboxFri, 13 Jan 2012 08:30:00 -050011|20146500https://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/03/massively-exclusive-joel-bylos-talks-the-secret-worlds-endgame/https://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/03/massively-exclusive-joel-bylos-talks-the-secret-worlds-endgame/https://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/03/massively-exclusive-joel-bylos-talks-the-secret-worlds-endgame/#comments

Funcom is ramping up the publicity for The Secret World this week, and Massively's getting in on the action via an exclusive interview with lead content designer Joel Bylos.

Earlier we told you how TSW's devs are hard at work putting a supernatural (and conspiratorial) twist on some of the world's most well-known cities, and we recently sat down with Bylos to talk about everything from using Google Maps to navigate Funcom's version of New York, to the nature of the term "open world," to the use of random game objects by the player.

Bylos also has some interesting things to say about The Secret World's sandbox elements and its endgame, and you'll find all that and more after the cut.
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conspiaciesendgameexclusivefantasyfeaturedfuncomhorrorinterviewinterviewsjoel-byloslondonmmo industrynew titlesnew-yorknews itemsopen-worldrandom-objectssandboxseoulskill-basedskillsthe secret worldthe-secret-worldworld-sizeFri, 03 Jun 2011 13:00:00 -0400319|19957745https://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/funcom-building-a-bridge-between-the-real-and-the-fantastic-in-t/https://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/funcom-building-a-bridge-between-the-real-and-the-fantastic-in-t/https://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/funcom-building-a-bridge-between-the-real-and-the-fantastic-in-t/#comments

Funcom has released a new dev blog focused on The Secret World, and today's entry is penned by lead content designer Joel Bylos. Much like with yesterday's video teaser, the focus is on the game's environments, and in particular, its localization in the real world.

Bylos, who also served as a content designer on Funcom'sAge of Conan expansion before moving to The Secret World, says that the game aims to capture the essence of the modern era while adding a supernatural and conspiratorial twist to places you think you know. "Above ground, New York looks just like the New York you have visited in real life. If you really wanted to, you could find the exact same area depicted in the game on Google Maps. But beneath the streets sprawls the corporate-industrial juggernaut of the Illuminati, known only as the Labyrinth," Bylos explains.

The dev blog goes on to mention the game's mission system as another tool for grounding the narrative in reality. Whether you're burning zombies, performing an exorcism with a vacuum cleaner, or chasing ghosts with mirrors, The Secret World looks to use the mundane as a window into the fantastic. Check out the game's official website for the full dev blog.
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dev diariesdev-blogdev-diaryfantasyfuncomgame mechanicshorrorjoel-byloslocationsmissionsmmo industrynarrativenew titlesnew-yorknews itemsreal-world-locationssecret-worldstorythe secret worldthe-secret-worldtswvacuum-cleaner-exorcismTue, 31 May 2011 11:00:00 -0400319|19954208https://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/report-sony-subpoenaed-by-new-york-attorney-general/https://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/report-sony-subpoenaed-by-new-york-attorney-general/https://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/report-sony-subpoenaed-by-new-york-attorney-general/#comments

According to a report published by Bloomberg, an anonymous source have revealed the latest entity to whom Sony Corp. must answer regarding last month's PlayStation Network security breach: New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. The source says Schneiderman has subpoenaed Sony to gather information about the breach, specifically regarding Sony's six-day delay in telling PSN users about the exposure.

The reported request sounds a heck of a lot like the inquiry filed by the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, which a Sony representative has already responded to. We suggest they save time with a quick copy/paste, and then get back to making it so we can play Portal 2 online again. Papa's got an itch for science.
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attorney-generalnew-yorkplaystationps3pspsonysony-corpsubpoenaThu, 05 May 2011 14:50:00 -040011|19932908https://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/kinect-demo-returns-to-nyc-macys-through-october-17/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/kinect-demo-returns-to-nyc-macys-through-october-17/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/12/kinect-demo-returns-to-nyc-macys-through-october-17/#comments

Macy's is bringing the Kinect demo "experience" back to its New York Herald's Square store through October 17, with four titles to test drive. The historic department store will also sell the Xbox 360 with Kinect bundle via its online store beginning November 4. Just don't tell Gimbel's about it.
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demokinectkinectimalsmacysmicrosoftnew-yorkxboxTue, 12 Oct 2010 00:30:00 -040011|19669880https://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/03/nhl-2k11-riding-in-an-rv-across-the-us-this-summer/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/03/nhl-2k11-riding-in-an-rv-across-the-us-this-summer/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/07/03/nhl-2k11-riding-in-an-rv-across-the-us-this-summer/#comments

Ah, the July 4th weekend. The perfect time for grilling hot dogs, setting off fireworks, jumping in the pool, and ... hockey? That's what 2K Games wants you to think about -- it's sending an NHL 2K11 recreational vehicle on the road this summer, giving you a chance to play the new game in a town near you. The RV started at E3 a few weeks ago in LA, and after a quick stop in Santa Monica next week, it's off to the wild roads of the United States and Canada (the full schedule is after the break).

Ryan Kesler has a tour of the vehicle over on 2K's website, and it looks like a fine conveyance. For now, anyway. Sorry, Philly and New York -- after a couple of months on the road, that shower might not be quite so pristine.
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calgarycitieslas-vegaslos-angelesnew-yorknhl-2k11nintendophiladelphiarvtourvancouverwiiSat, 03 Jul 2010 21:30:00 -040011|19540781https://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/crysis-2-writer-richard-morgan-hopes-to-avoid-the-big-mac-aesth/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/crysis-2-writer-richard-morgan-hopes-to-avoid-the-big-mac-aesth/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/crysis-2-writer-richard-morgan-hopes-to-avoid-the-big-mac-aesth/#comments

In an interview with VG247, science fiction author Richard Morgan had some interesting things to say about his writing role on Crysis 2, the upcoming shooter set in a crumbling New York City. It's an industry role with a "soft" template, he explained, and it's not one without some familiar challenges. We're still dealing with a sequel and a superguy shooting aliens, after all.

"I hate the Big Mac aesthetic of pop culture," Morgan said, "which is, you know, sequelitis: 'We're going to give people exactly what we gave them last time, because they liked it, so let's do exactly the same.'" Avoiding that aesthetic and eating healthy, as it were, requires some fresh ingredients. "If we can beat that Big Mac mentality and keep delivering fresh stuff, and something fresh gives the consumer something really fresh to do, then I'm happy, because when I'm doing fresh stuff that's when I'm most awake. With the Crytek experience so far, I'm very awake."

We like the Big Mac explanation, but it's still big talk before Crysis 2 launches this holiday. Admittedly, seeing a game's writer cast in the spotlight at this stage is still uncommon -- and possibly a display of publisher EA's confidence.
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cryengine-3crysis-2crytekeaelectronic-artsfpsmicrosoftnew-yorkrichard-morganwritingxbox-360Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:44:00 -040011|19450620https://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/pixels-short-film-imagines-the-coolest-apocalypse-ever/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/pixels-short-film-imagines-the-coolest-apocalypse-ever/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/04/08/pixels-short-film-imagines-the-coolest-apocalypse-ever/#comments

We're totally expecting December 20, 2012 to come and go without bringing about the end of existence as we know it -- but should the end of days actually befall us, we think we'd want it to look like Patrick Jean's latest short film, "Pixels." There's something about the prospect of everyone and everything turning into glossy, multicolored cubes that really tickles our fancy more than a bevy of natural disasters or aggressive, bureaucratic aliens ever could. Check out the two-and-a-half-minute film after the jump.
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apocalypsemovienew-yorkpatrick-jeanpixelsshort-filmspecial-effectsThu, 08 Apr 2010 09:30:00 -040011|19431376https://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/19/iphone-accessories-from-toy-fair/https://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/19/iphone-accessories-from-toy-fair/https://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/19/iphone-accessories-from-toy-fair/#comments

Woot.com is one of my favorite sites on the entire Internet -- not only do they offer some great deals, and not only are they witty folks, but they're from my original hometown of St. Louis, MO. They recently went to the Toy Fair 2010, and in their roundup of the best stuff they saw are a few fun iPhone-related toys and goodies. First up is this monster-style iPhone skin that you can see above -- obviously, it's not the most practical way to protect your iPhone, but it does look cool. Apparently it's not in production yet, and there's no word on price, but we'll keep an eye out.

And then there's the My Ami Entertainment Holder, which is a bear with a place to put your iPhone so your kids can watch movies on it. Um, yeah. Not quite as cool as the robot iPhone skin, but a little more functional. Still, if your kids can't be troubled to hold their own iPhone, maybe they shouldn't be watching movies anyway. And geez, if we're going to have a place to set the iPhone in a teddy bear's lap, can we at least get a dock to plug it in to?
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accessorieshumoriphoneiphone-skinmediamonstermy-aminew-yorkodds and endsproductionskinteddy-beartoy-fairwootFri, 19 Feb 2010 15:00:00 -050016|19364455https://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/gamestop-one-of-several-retailers-accused-of-deceptive-advertisi/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/gamestop-one-of-several-retailers-accused-of-deceptive-advertisi/https://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/06/gamestop-one-of-several-retailers-accused-of-deceptive-advertisi/#comments

The office of New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo is investigating several well-known retailers, including GameStop, for deceptive advertising practices. According to the office's announcement, GameStop and 21 other businesses are directing consumers to fraudulent discount programs where they unknowingly share credit card information with a third party. These third-party programs then place recurring charges on customers' accounts. "Well-known companies are tricking customers into accepting offers from third party vendors," said Cuomo, "which then siphon money from consumers' accounts."

Online movie ticket company Fandango has already agreed to stop the practice and pay $400,000 to a consumer redress fund. The Attorney General's office rightly warns that consumers should take care in reading all fine print when signing up for any kind of discount offer.

Are there any Joystiq readers out there that have run into this problem with GameStop? (You might want to check your credit card statement before you answer that.)

Update: For clarification, as some commenters have pointed out, the investigation applies to GameStop's online business, not its physical retail stores.

[Via GI.biz (account required)]
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andrew-cuomobusinessgamestoplawnew-yorkSat, 06 Feb 2010 00:30:00 -050011|19347057https://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/18/using-your-iphone-in-the-city-be-careful/https://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/18/using-your-iphone-in-the-city-be-careful/https://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/18/using-your-iphone-in-the-city-be-careful/#commentsI've lived in big cities for almost ten years now, first in Chicago and now in Los Angeles, and I could have told you exactly what this New York Times piece does: that you've got to be careful while using your iPhone while walking the city streets. We've heard about this before with the iPod, but an iPhone offers up even more distraction while walking around -- in between checking email, jumping on Twitter, and/or playing any number of games, it's practically impossible to spend enough attention on where you're walking and what you're doing even on a relatively clear street.

Think it's a joke? Over 1000 people found themselves in emergency rooms in 2008 because they were distracted while walking, says the article, which is twice the number from 2007, which itself was almost double the number from 2006 (and it's probably gotten higher in the last year). That's not to say that we need actual legislation to deal with this (although legislation has been discussed in New York, and there is already legislation on the books in many places against using your phone while driving), but it's something to keep in mind: I put my iPhone away whenever I cross a street, and just plain stop whenever I need to do anything more attention-deserving than switch a song or up the volume.

And it only took me one close call with a moving truck to figure that one out. If you're walking around with your iPhone or iPod in a busy urban environment, be careful out there.

Note: Clarified the statistics above; the 2008 number is approximately four times the 2006 number.
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attentionchicagocrossdistractionhardwareiphoneipodipod classiclalegislationnew-yorknew-york-timesodds and endsstreettipswalkingMon, 18 Jan 2010 21:00:00 -050016|19321361https://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/15/ny-teen-arrested-after-leaving-threatening-note-on-screen-in-app/https://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/15/ny-teen-arrested-after-leaving-threatening-note-on-screen-in-app/https://www.tuaw.com/2010/01/15/ny-teen-arrested-after-leaving-threatening-note-on-screen-in-app/#comments

A teen in New York has been arrested for leaving a threatening note on the screen of a computer at an Apple Store. The 17-year-old boy was joking around with friends when he typed a note on screen promising "a bloody death" to anyone working in the store via a "bomb loaded with C4, strapped to my chest." The note was then signed with the name of one of his friends' fathers. He claims he typed it just to be funny, and then forgot to delete it when he left, but the District Attorney in Staten Island says it's no joke -- the kid faces up to seven years in prison.

I can't help but think they'll let him off the hook eventually. Sure, it was a stupid (really stupid) thing to do, and they should come up with a punishment that teaches the kid a lesson, but time in prison labeled as a terrorist seems a little much for showing off to friends in an Apple Store. Maybe they can have him do some in-store lip synching performances as a community service.

[via Cult of Mac]
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apple-storefriendskidnew-yorknoteodds and endsprankretailscreenstaten-islandterroristFri, 15 Jan 2010 17:00:00 -050016|19318723https://www.tuaw.com/2009/12/04/two-apps-to-help-you-find-a-parking-spot/https://www.tuaw.com/2009/12/04/two-apps-to-help-you-find-a-parking-spot/https://www.tuaw.com/2009/12/04/two-apps-to-help-you-find-a-parking-spot/#commentsA while back in Chicago, a friend and I tried working on a Google maps API site that was sort of a crowd-sourced parking guide -- we'd set up a Google map that could be marked up with where the best free parking was, and then we'd turn it loose on the Internet to get filled in with information. Unfortunately, our project never got off the ground, but the New York Times covers two different iPhone applications designed to do the same thing: help you find some of that sweet, sweet city parking. PrimoSpot Parking is designed to help you find spots in New York City or Boston -- you punch in your location and parking spots, garages, or bike racks will pop up on the screen with markers according to when they open up. You can also locate good spots while moving with a "driving mode," and there's a feature that will mark your own spot once you find a place.

SpotSwitch is a little more complicated -- the idea is that when you leave your spot, you put a mark on the map, so that others can fill it in, and then when you're looking for your next spot, others will return the favor. This is a much more cloud-style type of application, and it depends on a lot of users, which the app may not actually have at any given time. PrimoSpot seems a little more concrete (apparently they hired college kids to fill in the database, though it's only in those two cities).

But if you feel like you're constantly looking for parking, either app may end up helping you (and it's good to see that some folks with a little more tenacity than my friend and I are ready to tackle this problem). PrimoSpot Parking [iTunes Link] is $1.99, SpotSwitch [iTunes Link] is free.
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app storeapp-reviewapp-storeappsbostondatabasefreegooglegpsiphonemapnew-yorkparkingparking-spotsprimospotspotswitchFri, 04 Dec 2009 09:00:00 -050016|19264974https://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/24/new-york-state-will-issue-emergency-alerts-via-xbox-live/https://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/24/new-york-state-will-issue-emergency-alerts-via-xbox-live/https://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/24/new-york-state-will-issue-emergency-alerts-via-xbox-live/#comments

According to a report by InformationWeek, the state of New York is in the planning stages of a revamped emergency broadcast system capable of sending alerts to Xbox Live (and presumably other console online services) in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist attack or other not-so-good event. The state's deputy chief information officer says the idea makes sense "considering the amount of time our youth spend on video games."

No specifics of how the system would actually work were provided, but we'd hope those who heed the warnings would get Achievement points for doing so. After all, it'd mean taking precious time away from griefing other players in Modern Warfare 2.

Update: Activision shot us an email to point out that "Activision has not given any retailer permission to sell Modern Warfare 2 prior to the Nov. 10 street date. The company fully supports the Nov.10 street date." It seems that a whole mess of folks are breaking street date and selling the game early. If you snagged a copy already, enjoy!

Poor, poor GameStop. As the gaming public's anticipation for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 approached critical mass, they faltered in their loyalty, and took their business to small "mom and pop" game retailers who had broken the game's street date. Fortunately for the retail juggernaut, Activision showed compassion for its plight, and agreed to let certain GameStops in a few Northeast states start selling the game before Tuesday in order to help combat these vicious local businesses.

We've been receiving tips all morning from folks living in New York and Pennsylvania (and Kotaku reports Ohio as well) stating that they were able to find the game on sale at their local GameStop. If you live in one of those Northeastern states, you might want to go ahead and call your local 'Stop to see if it's one of the stores which was granted special permission. If it is, then you can go straight to hell, you lucky jerk.
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activisionbroken-street-datefpsgamestopinfinity-wardmicrosoftmodern-warfare-2new-yorkohiopennsylvaniaretailstreet-datexbox-360Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:30:00 -050011|19227951https://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/10/pax-2009-dark-mysteries-of-the-secret-world/https://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/10/pax-2009-dark-mysteries-of-the-secret-world/https://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/10/pax-2009-dark-mysteries-of-the-secret-world/#comments

So, you may have heard: Funcom is taking famous myths, urban legends, pop culture, history and even things like the Rota Fortunae and blending it all into a game called The Secret World. We sat down with lead designer Martin Brusgaar and creative director Ragnar Tornquist at PAX 2009 to discuss the game and a few of its many secrets.

The Secret World has a vibe unlike any other MMO or really game currently out there. Its premise is simple -- all the legends, myths and more are true. Atlantis is rising, vampires roam the night, 2012 is the beginning of a new fourth age and so on. The world is a dark, scary and magical place. Although, it's more of the first two than anything else.%Gallery-72395%
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age-of-conanaocatlantiscombatdragonevents (massively's coverage)featuredfootagefuncomilluminatilondonmartin-brusgaarnew titlesnew-yorkpaxpax-2009ragnar-tornquistscreensscreenshotscreenshotsseoultemplarthe secret worldthe-secret-worldtswvideoThu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400319|19156477https://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/ny-state-proposing-ban-on-gaming-while-driving/https://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/ny-state-proposing-ban-on-gaming-while-driving/https://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/17/ny-state-proposing-ban-on-gaming-while-driving/#comments

New York doesn't want you distracted while steering that 2,500 lb. hunk of metal plastic, according to a recently passed bill brought to our attention by Buffalo Business First, banning all kinds of behind-the-wheel diversions. If you often enjoy a quick round of Retro Game Challengeor Pataponwhile at a stop light, know the cops would be able to confiscate your handheld and totally erase your gamesaves. Okay, we made that up. Offenders would actually get a $150 fine.

The new law (much like Hawaii's) doesn't just apply to games and, should it pass, will make a number of activities on your phone (text, surf the web, hold it up and look at it) illegal to do while driving. Sure, it has everyone's safety in mind, but we really think the government is crazy if it expects us to pull over and park every time we try to level up our Pidgey.

So, with expansions, you said that you'll be starting out with New York, London, and Seoul, right?

Yes. Those will be the first cities, the hub cities, available at the start of the game.

Now, the gameplay takes you beyond that, yes?

Oh yeah, absolutely. We're not doing all New York, or all of London, or all of Seoul. We are actually doing very tight and very constrained neighborhoods there. That's where you'll start your gameplay, but they won't be the large, huge open zones where you have tons of gameplay or tons of monsters. That will be left to areas like Egypt and New England, which will be more expansive and include more open-world mechanics and other things that we're not revealing quite yet. We will also be including more instanced and team-based areas as well.

Regarding expansion packs, yeah, we're going to expand beyond what we already will include. It's not like we're going to run out of content, the world is a big place.

Yes, I was going to ask if it will expand into more locations and cities throughout the world.

Yes, it certainly will, but it won't be limited to just that. We have more interesting locations but they won't be limited to just our world. We will be including locations throughout time and space itself.

I want to emphasize that this won't be something like Grand Theft Auto with magic, with a focus on huge, huge open cities. They are reasonably small places where you will start out and take the adventure from there. But one very important thing to note is that this sounds like a very fragmented world. London, New York, Seoul, those cities are a long way away from each other. But we are creating, or at least trying to create, a pretty seamless world. This means there are ways of getting from London to New York very quickly, and we are focusing on that. You won't be just walking up to a plane, clicking on it, and getting a red line that quickly points to where you're going and boom, you're there. You will be moving in real-time from London to New York, just a lot quicker.

There's alot of traditional MMO components that are around now. We're kinda in a new generation of MMO, and people are tired of World of Warcraft model and they're looking for something new. This is certainly in that realm. Are you guys trying to get away from traditional models, like crafting, and moving to something new?

Ah, I can't really talk about crafting right now. What I can say is that while combat is a core focus, we really want other non-combat stuff in the game. We're just not going to be talking about them as of yet. But there will be gameplay that isn't all about fighting monsters or exploring. There will be other things that you will be able to do.

Like you said earlier, like mysteries?

That, yes, that also and there will be other ways for people to play in the game, to participate in the game, that isn't about traveling around the world. Exactly what that is, I can't say as of yet.

Now, will there be a player driven economy?

Well, I can't speak much about that now, but there will be ways for players to take part in the economy. Sorry for being so cryptic, but trying to keep this very focused and very narrow for now.

And player guilds?

Ah, we are going to have cabals, yes. There will be a point to making cabals, and it will play a very large role in the game, but exactly what that is I'm not going to say as of now.

We are a game and we are focusing on the social aspects of the game. We are, in some aspects, a story driven game and alot of it you can play solo, but we really want to emphasize that it is an MMO. There will be stuff that will require you to team up with people in small groups and also in larger teams, without me going into deeper detail.

I hate having to keep saying I can't talk about this stuff.Oh, so what about in-game factions?

...and I can't talk about that. *laughs*

Ok, so what about the range between hardcore and casual?

Yeah, well, we always say we're going to cover all of it, but the fact is that you can't the game for everybody. So I think we're leaning towards... *sighs* I wouldn't say the casual, because when you talk about MMOs and casual you usually end up at Club Penguin or something like that, and we're really not there. We're somewhere between halfway, I think. There's tons of stuff for the hardcore MMO players, like the whole skill based system and the tweaking that you do to those types of systems with numbers and all the items we'll have, and that will be a hardcore player's dream. But I think in terms of time investment and what's required of you, we're leaning towards the middle ground. It will be fun for MMO players, but it will be equally fun for someone who just likes the idea of a world that has a bunch of other people in it, is completely open, you can play it online, and you can chat, but doesn't feel so unfriendly and unwelcoming as other MMOs.

So, would your target audience be someone who has played MMOs?

I think a large part of our target audience is who are playing or have played MMOs. We want it to be different enough for them to come back or a game that is different enough to have them come to play it with their friends. In addition to action/adventure gamers who play games like Fable 2 for the Xbox 360 and just want to try their hand at something that's online and not feel completely eliminated and have something that's recognizable to them.

We'd like to thank Ragnar for meeting with us at the GDC, and we're looking forward to more information on The Secret World!
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at a glancecasualcitiesconsolesfantasyfuncomgameplaygdc-2009guildshardcorehorrorinterviewinterviews (massively's)londonmassively-interviewsmmo industrynew titlesnew-yorknon-combatopen-worldragnarseoulthe secret worldthe-secret-worldtswxbox-360Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:30:00 -0400319|1510089https://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/lgj-more-game-laws/https://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/lgj-more-game-laws/https://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/09/lgj-more-game-laws/#commentsEach week Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games:

It's early 2009, we've just elected a new President, and there are quite literally a mountain of problems to be addressed on Capitol Hill. Our economy has been in substantial turmoil for roughly six months, with some problems stretching back for years. Many states are at or near bankruptcy. This economic crisis has, by now, hit every country on the planet to some degree. So, our legislators have spent the last two months rushing to put together proposals to regulate video games. No, no one's undivided attention has been on the economy during this complete mess. Instead, since the start of the year, it seems there has been an explosion of potential new video game regulations, from Jack Thompson's bill in Utah, to New York, to the US Congress, to Australia -- just to name a few. And that's in addition to issues like the FTC's rumblings about DRM, which I've mentioned previously.

While this boom in regulations and potential enforcement may be great news for sites like GamePolitics, it's potentially bad news for game developers and consumers, not to mention the taxpayers who are footing the bill for all of this. Of course, these laws are also coming from a number of different directions and under different theories, so I thought it might be a good time to give a short take on each and predict which directions things could be going.
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australiabillsfeaturesjack-thompsonlawlaw-of-the-gamelawslegislationlegislaturelgjnew-yorkregulationsusus-congressutahMon, 09 Feb 2009 22:00:00 -050011|1452889